Chapter 9

'Fuck! What is she even doing here this early?' was the first thought Aarush had as soon as he saw Samaira standing in the door. He didn't expect her.

At least Tara should have informed him. This would have been the last thing he ever wanted to happen. She saw him with Sonia. She is going to believe Sonia and he is together.

His world had shattered into millions of pieces. She is never going to believe what he will say to her. How will he ever explain it to her? Sonia climbed out of Aarush's lap and left the office, leaving him and Samaira in an awkward moment.

He buttoned up his shirt and straighten his tie. He didn't know what to do. But, she spoke, "Mr. Bakshi, can you please show me my cabin?" his mouth went dry and his body was sweating.

He cleared his throat, "I— umm, sure, let's go." On their way to her cabin, she kept her gaze straight on the corridor. "I am sorry, you had to witness that. No offense, but I didn't expect you this early."

She still didn't answer him. He had a strange feeling, as it affected her more than him. Even in school, she was hell nervous when she used to be around him. Aarush had to comprehend what was going on inside her head. Is she jealous or heartbroken? She is disturbed and traumatized by what she saw.

They reached her cabin, and Aarush opened the door for her. She got inside too, and he closed the door behind him. "This is your cabin, Sam... I mean Samaira. Tara will give you a few files regarding our previous strategies." She was just rigid.

"Yeah, sure." Aarush was there in her cabin explaining to her every single detail of the company, and she was hardly paying any attention to what he was saying. She was just speaking to him and had no eye contact, which was strange.

He got up and said, "Have a great first day. I will see you later." She hummed, and he left her alone in her cabin. He needed to work out and remove all his stress. 'why is this affecting me so much? Why does what she thinks about me matter to me?'

He found Tara on her desk and made his way to her. "Next time, if anyone is coming to my cabin, inform me. Do you get it?"

"I am so sorry, sir. I was going to print these for you when Miss Malhotra came in.". She handed me a few sheets, "Next time, please keep in mind."

"Sure sir," she said, and he went to his cabin, changed his clothes to the gym clothes, and made his way to a small gym he constructed near his office to evaporate all his worries.

Aarush was running on the treadmill when he got a call from Manik." Hey mate, I wanted to know about your plans."

"Why?" Aarush just answered, cutting him short. "Are you alright? Because there a new club opened in the locality and I just wanted to go there. Who is a better companion for me than you?" Manik said "Listen Manik, I am not interested in going to any fucking club," Aarush spatted with an angry voice.

"Oh, man, calm down. What has happened to you?" Aarush realized that he was throwing all his anger on poor Manik. He is right. Samaira brings the best and worst out of him.

"I am so sorry, Manik." he got off the treadmill and grabbed a towel. "It's just that Sam saw me with Sonia in my cabin." he finished with a sigh.

"What the fuck Sonia was doing in your office." He said in surprise. "Long story. But now I am fucked up. It traumatized Sam. She has witnessed it. She will never be mine. I love her Manik. Whenever I am with Sonia, I imagine her to be Sam. I am just going crazy."

"Aarush, calm down. Everything would be fine. Just give it some time. Maybe we could go for dinner or so?"

Aarush wanted to go out with him. however if he cancels the plan with Sonia, she would kill him alive. "Sorry, Manik, but I can't make it today. I have to take Sonia for a dinner date. She was forcing me a lot and I don't have any choice. See ya, buddy."

And he hung up the phone. He changed and wore his suit back. He went back to his office but wasn't able to concentrate on work. His thoughts went back to earlier events of the day. For lunch, when he went outside his cabin, Aarush felt a pull towards Sam's cabin. He resisted it somehow because he didn't want to embarrass her further.

Lunch was never this awful and Aarush left his untouched food on the table itself and went back to his cabin. There he found 10 missed calls from Mukti but he was in no mood to call her back. The rest of the day flew by, and it was almost time to go to dinner with Sonia. She is a headache sometimes but yet he was with her.

Aarush made himself presentable and went outside to the main corridor. Tara greeted him with a warm smile, "Sir, Miss Malhotra has already left and submitted her work. I checked it and it is commendable. It will surely impress you."

He nodded but furrowed his eyebrows and continued, "But she should have given it to me. Why didn't she?"

"No idea sir, but she was in hurry, so maybe she gave it to me." At that moment, Sonia entered the lobby from the elevator. She was wearing a blue high-slit dress paired with black block heels. If she would have been Samaira, he would have canceled the dinner and taken her to the penthouse instead. She would look that eternally gorgeous.

"I didn't want to take any chances," Sonia said and gave him a soft kiss on his cheeks. "You look beautiful," Aarush said, which was a general comment and she deserves it. They said their goodbyes to Tara and went to his car. During the entire journey to the hotel, Sonia was clinging to him making small talks. Finally, they reached 'The Chambers Terrace', one of the exotic hotels in Mumbai. It was fully packed as usual and he got a table farthest from the others. "It's so romantic. Isn't it?" Sonia exclaimed in excitement. Her fingers were laced with his when they walked towards their table.

Sonia was staring at him for a very long time now, "What?" he asked. "What have you done to my old Aarush?" Aarush didn't know what was she talking about, then her hand moved and she placed it on his hand.

Aarush understood the meaning of the question. "You wanted me to take you out for dinner, so here we are."

"If you can be this obedient to what I say, then I want so many things." Her voice had changed from normal to sexy. Aarush knew her intentions, but he never wanted to entertain them. "I think we should place our orders," He said as he removed his hand from her grip. Aarush kept his gaze on the menu card until the server came to take their orders.

They placed their orders, and the server went. He was busy thinking about the mess he was in when Sonia gets a call. She picks it up and goes towards the washroom. and he took the chance to observe the surrounding.

But he wished he kept looking at the front instead of looking around. There, he saw Samaira sitting at the corner table with someone server was blocking my way. As soon as she moved out, he saw Samaira was with a guy. The face looked familiar. 'Ahh! I have seen him somewhere. Oh yes, he is Tarun, Tarun Saxena'.

He is the son of Khushal Saxena, one of Vijay's business rivals. It was in a way very hurting, but she looked happy and the pain he saw on her face this morning wasn't there anymore. Aarush passed his hand through his hair, annoyed looking at her being so happy with someone who isn't him.

Aarush followed her hands and his gaze fell on her left hand, where she had an exquisite and eye-catching diamond ring. Aarush was taken aback because, at that moment, he realized she was engaged to Tarun. He wanted to just rush towards her to confirm that whatever he was assuming was wrong, but Sonia came back to her seat and he couldn't get up.

Baby..." Sonia cooed, and he cringed at the way she spoke to him. She was getting attached to him and he had to get away from her before this gets toxic. He had to plan everything, not to make everything more complicated. Dinner went pretty well even though he wasn't able to keep his eyes away from Sam's. It must have been pretty long, but Sonia didn't seem tired of him.

"Aarush... I was thinking of something," Sonia spoke and Aarush just hummed in response. "See all those couples... they all look so in love while dancing... I wanted to ask if we can dance too?" She was hesitant, but he was not in the mood to dance and he looked away from Sonia thinking of a way to say no to her when he saw Tarun and Sam on the dance floor swaying to the song pretty close to each other which made him boil in anger.

And he took Sonia by her hand, dragging her to the dance floor. She was confused at first but then gained her composure, snaking her hands around his nape while he pulled her closer by her waist. They kept swaying but were asked to change partners.

Aarush swiftly left Sonia's hand, waiting for the next girl, when Sam placed her hands in his. She was hesitant, but he pulled her closer and the song changed to the one he knew they both can never forget. Her eyes widened upon listening to the song. 'Ishq Wala love', it was the same song to which they danced 7 years ago on their farewell night.

The night he was going to reveal his feelings to her, but that didn't go as planned. She was hesitant and was creating distance between them, but he was done with the games. He pulled her closer to him keeping his hands wrapped around her waist possessively.

Her body fits perfectly with his; he was feeling giddy having her so close to him after all these years. She wasn't as skinny as Sonia, but she was perfect in her own ways. As if she was lost in her own world, she snaked her hands around his neck, looking directly into his eyes. Her eyes were something that always sparkled when Aarush was near.

It was something he always noticed when they sat close to each other in the library discussing one thing or another. It was difficult to keep reminding himself that they were in public and weren't together. As the night pursued, he slid his hands a little lower resting one hand on her hip brushing his lips over hers. But as if reality struck her, she backed off running away from him. After her little panic attack, he didn't see either Tarun or Samaira. He didn't even get to know when they left. And Aarush realized she still has feelings for him but can't be his because she is already engaged to someone else.

After an hour so when Sonia actually felt tired, they left. Sleep would not come to him, he knew, but the night didn't seem to end for him. He was wishing for morning to come soon. And soon he saw the sun rising. Aarush looked at the time. It was 5 in the morning. So instead of lying there looking at the ceiling blankly, he got up and changed for the gym. Grabbing his gym bag and clothes for the office, he left.

Aarush, for the first time in my life, couldn't concentrate while exercising. He loved this time because it was a time, he could concentrate on nothing but himself, and today nothing worked for me. He took a shower with a grimace mood and left for the office.

Leaving the bag in the car, he headed to the office with one thing on his mind. He had to ask her about her engagement. Reaching Sam's office, he hesitate in going inside but then shook his head and entered inside without knocking. "Samaira...." he called out and saw her head stuffed in between the files. "Yeah..." she answered, looking unsure.

Without thinking much, he posed the question to her.

"Are you engaged to Tarun Saxena?" he wanted her to say no, wanted her to prove him wrong, but as if she sensed what he was thinking, she answered.

"Yes, engaged to Tarun." Her voice was throwing sarcasm his way, and he left her office, having nothing to say.